Vignettes
by YungKhaleesi
Summary: A selection of short one shots revolving around everyone's favourite bleach blonde, punk-rocking vamp and a certain vamp-slaying California girl.
1. Chapter 1: Sleep

Sleep: Set in season 7, slightly AU. Joss Whedon sings the song of my heart. I, of course, own nothing.

And she rested her head upon his chest and he held her. Strong arms wrapped around tightly as if she might slip away without him as her anchor. Her face was tucked away, turned into his chest. Partially due to comfort, the rest with the sincere belief that if she buried herself deep enough it might all go away.

She slept to dream, or simply to find a quiet corner of her mind to seek sanctuary. In times that she slept peacefully, or not at all, she would revel in the calm. These instances were fleeting and dearly missed, as the battle crept closer. When unconscious thoughts were as stressful as her waking ones, she grew very frightened indeed. It had dawned on her that if she was as scared asleep as she was awake then there was no solace for her to seek. No happiness. No look of peace.

Death, indeed, would be her gift.

To lay her body down and rest, without thought or care or worry.

The last great escape.

But there were some things she couldn't escape from. Big and scary things like her power, her destiny, her sacred duty, the fate of all the other girls that were just like her in so many ways. Then there was less big, less scary, that didn't fill her with the desperate need to run and hide; like the smell of leather and cigarettes that found its way into the few items of clothing he owned. A muddled scent that was so unique to him. She'd take breaths as deep as she dared without him noticing. Though, of course, he noticed everything. The feeling of his arms around her, skin slightly cold to the touch. The way he said 'pet', 'sweetheart', 'love'. It was these simple things, less big and less scary, that brought her down to earth, kept her focused and kept her going.

And in the mean time, they would find other ways to delay what she was so sure was on the horizon; their reckoning, their final stand.

He would lay her body down and rest, without thought or care or worry.

And though she'd never tell, she knew.

He was another kind of great escape.


	2. Chapter 2: Light

*From a cheeky prompt involving a play on light and darkness. AU, all human. Joss sings the song of my heart. Joss also hopes I will soon stop trying to sing the song of _his_ heart…loudly…outside his door…every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Can't stop. Won't stop. Sorry Joss. I own nothing.*

Chapter 2: Light

The valley was shrouded in darkness. Always. Day by day, the clouds came and went like clockwork. They would cover the sky completely, or not at all. Never partly cloudy, never slightly grey. Today, the sky was darkest grey with the heavy clouds, a low hanging ceiling over the vast fields. There were rolling hills off to the distance, the tops of which seem to almost kiss the blanket of mist above.

Day by day, the winds swirled, the trees swayed and the darkness remained. Today was an exception.

Unexpectedly, the clouds opened and a light shone down, a few meters in diameter, and bathed the ground below in warm sunshine.

To the left of that exact spot, sat William. He was leant against a tall oak tree, still shrouded in darkness. He'd been resting his eyes, writing the makings of a poem in his head. The bright light startled him. He leapt to his feet and tried to step into the light, but failed. The perimeter moving mere inches from the tip of his boots. The sun never seemed to shine on William, a cruel metaphor made flesh. To his credit, he didn't mind all too much. The shadows had the ability to shroud, to conceal and blur.

Still, the promise of sunlight, the echo of warmth that he was sure he'd feel if he could only just…but no. The circle evaded him again. Being in the shadows by choice was one thing, but William felt he'd been banished. Banished in a personalized vendetta made by some higher something or another.

He struggled and tugged and chased, relentless in his pursuit. He cried out in anguish. He felt he would never feel the sun, he was certain of it.

He was certainly wrong.

One day, not at all too far forward from this one, the sun would break through the clouds once more, next to the same tree where William sat composing poems and daydreaming away. It would be a bigger arena of light, stretching a mile wide in all directions. On the far reaches of the circle, there would stand a girl. An exceptional girl, sunlight bouncing off her blonde hair. And with each step she took toward him, William would be bathed in light.


	3. Chapter 3: Visit

This is an AU set during season 7...with a couple of fun guest stars!

* * *

He walked in from the bitter cold, with a new stash of blood in hand, to find Clem. His rather floppy friend was turned away from the vampire, trying to corral something. The bloody idiot's large form blocked it from view, all limbs, loose skin and nonsense.

And then it came into view, no... not it. She.

His once dark goddess, his salvation, way back when.

_Drusilla_.

"Ooh!Hey buddy." Clem said, startled at the arrive of the brit. "Just in time, this one has been giving me the run around. She's a handsy little thing. Well..now you're here I'll just-" The demon practically threw her at him and it was only now Spike realised that she'd clearly tried to seduce his poker buddy. Shirt all askew, dark lipstick smudges here and there. _Oh, Clem_, Spike thought, _she's probably not in your training. _The demon left in a great hurry, leaving Spike and his sire alone.

The blonde vampire kept his former paramour at arms length, placing his strong hands on her small, pale shoulders.

"What is it, Dru?"

"Oh my sweet William, the sword is dull but still cuts pretty ribbons in my heart." She pouted at him, then took her gaze skyward. "Miss Edith told me you'd gone to play Peter Pan. I've met your lost girls, merry band of little slayers-who-would." she smiled a cat-like grin; so taunting and clearly evil.

A few years ago he'd loved that smile, would have kissed it passionately off her pretty face. Now it just left him chills. So, she'd been spying on the potentials? Had she hurt them?

"Why did you come to see me, princess?" He enquired, blue eyes boring into her dark ones.

She lifted a hand to stroke the collar of his shirt.

"It's not you I came to see, my Spike. I came for your Wendybird."

The tensing in Spike's jaw did not go unnoticed by his whimsical companion, who twirled her white tulle skirts as she navigated the crypt.

"She's written all over you, you know. The others too. All sweetness and good intentions." the brunette singsonged darkly, still twirling around staring at the ceiling. "What will become of you when I take the slayer from you, my love? What will be written on you then?"

He closed the space between them, once again grabbing her shoulders and staring darkly at her. She wouldn't threaten Buffy, or the others, he'd die before he let the slayer come to any more harm.

"Right, Dru, well, you've certainly got my attention like, but I'm tired of your games. You've said your bit, you made your entrance. Now go." He hissed.

She tutted at him. Crazy bint.

"My sweet, " she lamented, "the stars were right about you. She was painted in lilacs and now you are the same. All the same. She'll do it again and again, take wild things and give them sweeties and make them play nice with her other toys. She makes you glow and you burn her in return, burn, burn, burn..." she trailed off, as she swayed her hands like a symphony conductor. "Miss Edith will be most displeased. No matter... we'll take her to the park and feed her to the ducks and have some tea."

"Who is we, Dru?"

"You and I, silly Spike." she chided him gently, almost incredulous at his lack of understanding, "You're invited to the party too! I'll let you have some cake and we'll play pass the parcel."

"No one is going anywhere, pet." He dismissed her, wearily as she danced around with that far away look in her eyes. "You try and there's an army of nasties waiting to dust you."

"You won't come with me and bring our party favour?" she asked innocently. Spike shook his head. "Well, you shan't be getting any kisses from me. Not while the birds sing in your head and you smell of sunshine."

"Be on your way, love. Doesn't have to be trouble here. Go back to LA and make your trouble there..."

She came close to him now and traced the line of his sharp cheekbone, drawing blood with the edge of her nail.

"How it must hurt you, Peter, to know she'll wither and fade and you'll remain. She won't stay in Neverland, and you'll be all alone. All of you together." She pecked him on the cheek. He felt nothing.

"I'll wait for you, my William. On a pirate ship with a song when you're ready for the shadows again." She said, as she left the crypt for the darkness, melting into the moonlight.

Spike watched her go, gave a tilt of his head, and said to no one in particular:

"Bloody hell."

* * *

I hope that you enjoyed it and that I was able to write Dru's particular brand of crazy and riddle-y without confusing anyone!


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